The private chamber lay tucked behind the Alpha’s quarters, a room few were ever invited into - a room he practically had to beg Aria to enter to tend to her wounds, both old and new. Its stone walls were warmed by low-burning moonlamps, their silver light soft enough to feel almost forgiving. Almost. The scent of crushed herbs lingered in the air—clean, sharp, meant for healing—but it did nothing to soothe the tension that followed Kaden and Aria inside.
The door shut with a muted thud.
Aria stood just beyond the threshold, shoulders stiff, blood dried dark along the tear in her sleeve. She hadn’t said a word since the elders were dismissed. Her silence pressed harder than any accusation.
“Sit,” Kaden said quietly, already crossing the room toward the basin.
“I don’t need you,” she re
